Spring break T-shirts, beer cozies, thong bikinis and Mardi Gras beads fill the shelves at the Paradise Found store on Panama City Beach. The shop is hiring extra staff and will maintain extended hours through March and April.

The Wildlife Sanctuary provides a home for over 100 animals that cannot be released, including deer, fox, and a variety of birds, including bald eagles, owls and hawks. Come by the sanctuary during our visiting hours. 105 North "S" Street, Pensacola, FL 32505, 850-433-9453,...

GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE, Fla. (AP) — It's a 70-degree fall weekday, and I'm sitting on a powdery white beach lapped by gentle turquoise waves as I eat a pear and "work" on my travel story about Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Pensacola Beach, connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, is framed by turquoise waters and white sand beaches. The Gulf Islands National Seashore keeps beaches accessible to the public and preserves the area's environment.

It's the world's largest naval-aviation museum with 37 acres of outdoor exhibits and 300,000-square-feet inside. The Navy's Blue Angels do practice runs regularly during the show season from March-November, when the weather is nicer for being outside. 1750 Radford Blvd., Pensacola,...